The Latest: Idaho governor nixes inmates housed in barracks
UPDATE: Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter’s office says Idaho inmates will not be housed in National Guard barracks despite being asked by top correction officials to consider the possibility to address the state’s growing criminal justice crisis.
Mark Warbis, Otter’s communication’s director, said in an email to The Associated Press on Monday that the Idaho National Guard doesn’t have the personnel or a secure facility to detain inmates.
Otter’s decision was announced just hours after Debbie Field, chairwoman of the state Board of Correction, said she had met with the National Guard last week about using the barracks.
Idaho recently signed a contract to send up to 670 inmates at a private prison in Texas starting at the end of August. In the meantime, Idaho’s prisons are currently at capacity and the state needs to find space for overflow inmates.
Warbis says the governor has encouraged the National Guard to help the state anyway it can.
ORIGINAL:
Idaho correctional officials say the state’s criminal justice crisis has escalated to a point where it might declare an emergency and begin housing overflow inmates in National Guard barracks.
Debbie Field, chairwoman of the state Board of Correction, said Monday the National Guard is currently studying the possibility after meeting with the Idaho Department of Correction and Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter last week.
Field says the state’s growing prison population has forced officials to explore every option.
The National Guard will submit their analysis of using the barracks for inmates by the end of the week.
Idaho recently signed a contract to send up to 670 inmates at a private prison in Texas starting at the end of August. In the meantime, Idaho’s prisons are currently at capacity and the state needs to find space for overflow inmates.
Idaho lawmakers are also looking at reclassifying some felonies as misdemeanors and increasing efforts to prevent people from going to prison in the first place. More on that HERE.
